The Magic of Seeds

There is something poetic about seeds: they arrive via scented blossom, fat pods, flamboyant blooms and sweet fruit, then drop into the soft earth. Throughout winter, they wait silently before the warmth of the new season awakens them. After the Spring Equinox, or Ostara, shoots and leaves gradually emerge, unfurling and stretching towards the sun. Seeds promise new life when everything is tired and old. They defy despair.Sowing seeds during spring is an important moment in the turning year; both a practical and a symbolic activity. It is a wonderful anticipatory task: as you sow, you imagine the plant that will _ourish later in the year, bursting into bloom, bushy with aromatic leaves or heavy with edible crops. You are helping to generate life and, in the process, fill your herb cabinet. Spring is also a time to take stock of your own life and plant metaphorical seeds, by planning a way to realize a long-held dream, perhaps, or set an intention.The transformation of a dry, seemingly unremarkable seed into a lush, beautiful _ower or, even more spectacularly, a new tree, is a wonderful thing. The process is so incredible that it can feel like only magic can explain it. Of course, botanical science does have an explanation, but that does not belittle the wonder of the mighty seed. The power of a tiny seed is unimaginable.

Clare Gogerty lives on a smallholding in Herefordshire, England. A member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, she has been interested in magick, druidry and folklore since a child, encouraged by her father, an enthusiastic dowser and leyline hunter. A former magazine editor, she is now a freelance journalist and author, writing about spirituality, travel, homes and gardens for magazines and newspapers. She is the author of 'Beyond the Footpath: mindful adventures for modern pilgrims' (Piatkus, 2019) and 'Sacred Places: where to found wonder in the world' (Aster, 2020).